Chief Technical Officer at EPAYPLUS Nigeria

Job Summary

• Owns the day-to-day provision of high availability, best in class technology services to the Company. Ensures availability of systems support and infrastructure.
• Plan, execute, and finalize projects according to strict deadlines and within budget.
• Lead and drive innovation with the purpose to create value from ideas within a defined strategic scope, including new products, services, business models, processes, and ways of working.
• Elaborates on key issues and solutions for a wide range of new information technologies and their applications and develops organizational policies for information technology users.

Key Duties/Responsibilities
Infrastructure:

• Plans and manages the IT environment, company's WAN, IP telephone changes etc.
• Researches, selects, implements and maintains IT solutions, integrated with a variety of data sources.
• Ensure software integration into company systems meets functional requirements, system compliance and interface specifications.
• Provide technology vision and leadership in the development, management and implementation of an overarching ICT strategy
• Coordinate all operations activity including integration of systems and roll out, enhance helpdesk.
• Planning and implementation of additions, deletions and major modifications to the supporting infrastructure.
• Implements network security for the organisation
• Organises the administration and maintenance of computer Systems
• Directs solutions to functional and technical problems; troubleshooting, systems backups, archiving, and disaster recovery and provides expert support when necessary.
• Interacts with internal clients on all levels to resolve IT-related issues and provides answers in a timely manner.
• Builds and maintains client relationships and manages the purchase of hardware and software products and other IT supplies
• Ensures that company assets are maintained responsibly
• Seeks to leverage IT trends that can create business value consistent with the company’s requirements and expectations.

Project:

• Responsible for the planning, management, coordination and financial control of projects
• Agreeing project objectives and representing the client's & organization's interests
• Ensure projects are completed on time and within budget, objectives of the projects are met, efficient resources are used, the different interests involved are satisfied and the desired result is achieved. Control and monitor project scope, Time, Cost, Quality and Risks.
• Providing advice on the management of projects and carrying out risk assessment
• Coordinate with project teams to implement Internal Systems.
• Submit project deliverables, ensuring adherence to quality standards.
• Develop and manage annual budgets for information technology projects
• Identify, review, or select vendors or consultants to meet project needs.
• Schedule and facilitate meetings related to Information technology projects.
• Advance and update plans for information technology projects including information such as project objectives, technology, systems, and information specifications.
• Develop, assess and select proper strategy for all IT Projects.
• Annual maintenance and set-up of clients.
• Creatively problem-solve and collaborate with a result-oriented team to effectively execute projects.
• Lead and provide expertise on complex, technical projects from concept through analysis, design and execution.
• Manage projects at various stages of the innovation process, including design, pilot execution, and evaluation of impact.

Innovation:

• Building/running an effective, transparent, and efficient innovation process.
• Represent the ICT function at the executive level and contribute to overall organisational strategy setting
• Knowledge about the innovation information product industry and the business, programming change management process, backlog management and communication, software applications and software release processes
• Identify new I.T standards and adjust former standards to follow suit
• Increasing the profitability of existing products to designing and delivering innovative solutions (new ideas/products) for the company.
• Build products from existing ideas, and develop new ideas based on your industry experience and contact with customers and prospects while playing a key leadership role on multiple initiatives.
• Ability to work with an investment committee to determine the variability of a product.
• Managing the entire product line life cycle from strategic planning to tactical activities. Inclusive of developing and implementing a company-wide go-to-market plan, working with all departments to execute, helping them understand the product positioning, key benefits, and target customer.
• Share the company’s insights and work with industry players, funders, policy makers, and the public sector through thought pieces and publications.

Organization Impact/ Influence:

• Extensive High Level Strategic / Operational Interaction with:

1. CEO
2. Business Managers
3. All employees
4. Clients IT Team
5. IT vendors and service providers

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Responsible in the design of processes and activities, objective setting and follow up, performance evaluations, coaching & feedback, developmental plans, hiring, terminations.
• The CIO must also establish and supervise a process to periodically review current performance and capacity of IT resources, as well as forecast future needs based on workload, storage, and contingency requirements. This responsibility should highlight the adequacy or lack thereof of the resources needed to support the organization

Direct Reports:

• Help Desk & IT Support Specialist
• Contractors
• Software Developer
• Innovation & Product Development team

Related Job Requirements/ Qualifications
Technical Skills:

• All round IT skills (LAN, WAN, server and operating system)
• 3 or more of the following Certification MCSE, MCSA, MCITP, CCNA, CCNP, ITIL, OCA.
• Other technical certification such as: Prince2, PMP
• Extensive Knowledge of Computing or Networking hardware & software.
• Deep Networking Skills (LAN & WAN)
• IT strategy development, Change Management and Incident/Problem Management experience.
• Strong knowledge in SLAs, System & Software Quality Assurance and Best Practices & Methodologies.
• Visionary, innovative, eyes for details and IT smart individual who must have performed a similar job function in a commercially oriented organization.
• Proficiency in scripting languages, XML, HTML and other basic programming languages which can help them in changing the settings of the information systems as per the companies requirement

Generic Competencies:

• Customer focus
• Vendor management and negotiation
• Business Oriented and technical savvy
• Big-picture vision, and the drive to make that vision a reality

Required Experience:

• At least 10yrs of cognate experience, post NYSC in similar role, in Information Technology, Microsoft applications and/or physical infrastructure.
• Extensive Knowledge of Computing or Networking hardware & software.
• Deep Networking Skills (LAN & WAN)
• IT strategy development, Change Management and Incident/Problem Management experience.
• Strong knowledge in SLAs, System & Software Quality Assurance and Best Practices & Methodologies.
• Visionary, innovative and IT smart individual who must have performed a similar job function in a commercially oriented organization.
• Experience in a similar sector is a requirement

Educational Requirements

• B.Sc. Computer Science or Electronic & Electrical Engineering or other Science related course.
• MBA/MSC
• M.Sc. MIS (Management Information System) is an additional advantage
• 3 or more of the following Certification MCP, MCSE, MCSA, MCITP, CCNA, CCNP,ITIL, MCTS, OCA,PME,CEA etc.
• Other technical certification such as: Prince2,CompTIA, PMP, ITIL Foundation Certified (a plus)

Analysis:

• This position requires the ability to:
• Keep users informed of adverse situations and helping then get workarounds to long running problems is key
• Liaise with multiple users
• Deal with demanding management and customers with also ability to cope under pressure
• Have excellent listening and communication skills and practical thinking